Please help -- In 1991, I fell into some very hard financial and life crisis and was unable to pay off my credit cards. I became homeless for many years, didn't use any credit cards, no current address on my credit report. So, the credit card debts went unpaid and sold off to one collection agency after another. Well, now,I am barely back on my feet, but I am not homeless (I rent an apt) and have a good credit card in good standing. So, now I have two collection agencies calling me a lot and sending me letters trying to collect the debt. Isn't there a statute of limitations on the unpaid debt? It no longer appears on my credit report. I refuse to talk to the debt collector, I hang up on them as soon as they begin to identify themselves, one guy calls some much that I recognize his voice when he says Hi and I hang up. I refuse to respond to their threatening letters that say that if I don't respond within 30 days it will be taken as proof that the debt is valid. I was living in Texas at the time that I used my credit cards (ATT Universal and Discover) and now I live in Florida. What can I do to keep them off my back? I can't pay the debt. Legally can they keep hassling me and threatening me? I really appreciate your suggestions. JB
Send them all a C & D letter. Send it CRRR. If the call or contact you after the date they signed for the CRRR letter, they will owe you $1000. These letters work, you will not hear from them again. If the debt is really out of SOL, then the CA is SOL. If it was still in SOL beleive me they would have it on your credit reports.
Read this and take your life back: http://consumers.creditnet.com/straighttalk/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5491
SOL in Florida is either 4 or 5 years depending on the type of debt. I would tell these guys to go suck eggs.
Thanks Greg for the good advice! I have been wondering if I should send them a cease and desist letter or if that would be proof that I was acknowledging the debt. I figured since the debt or collection attempts have not shown up on my credit report for quite a few years now, that I was safe from harassment. It is strange that all of a sudden, 12 almost 13 years later, that both credit card collection agencies have chosen this year to be the year to constantly harass me. JB
Sounds like you haven't been able to be "found" until recently. Perhaps not so unusual. Read Marie's definitive post on validation et al and you can take your life back - maybe even pick up a crisp $1000 check in small claims court.
Thanks Dan for the information and the link to a very interesting thread. I will get a cease and desist letter out to both collection agencies as soon as possible. Thanks everybody for the support and information.
1*Isn't there a statute of limitations on the unpaid debt? It no longer appears on my credit report. 2*I refuse to respond to their threatening letters that say that if I don't respond within 30 days it will be taken as proof that the debt is valid. 3*I really appreciate your suggestions. JB =============== 1*yes 2*Not rite all they can do is assume. It's not proof! 3*It would be to your interest to respond with validation. >------------>> LB59
